PM Barzani arrives in Turkey

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday arrived in Turkey's Ankara, where he is expected to meet with the country's senior officials, according to a government statement. 

Barzani is expected to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as other top officials, per the statement.

He met with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan on early Tuesday, the Kurdistan 24 in Turkey Azad Altun has learned. 

The prime minister will discuss "enhancing bilateral relations" between Erbil and Ankara as well as the latest developments in Iraq and the region, it added. 

It is Barzani's first visit to the country following President Erdogan's third electoral victory in early June.

Since assuming office in July 2019, the premier has paid three official visits to Turkey, with which the Kurdistan Region shares close economic and political ties. Thousands of Turkish companies in various sectors operate in the Kurdistan Region. 

Following Turkey's deadly earthquakes on Feb. 6, the Kurdistan Region became the first foreign entity to dispatch search and rescue teams to the stricken areas in the country, where they had undertaken several missions to provide aid.  

As a result of the natural disaster that hit southeastern Turkey, more than 50,000 were killed while millions had been displaced. 

The Turkish authorities, including President Erdogan, have publicly acknowledged the Kurdistan Region's humanitarian efforts.